If you drive to Chincoteague Island from the mainland, you pass the NASA Wallops Island Facility.
"The Wallops Island Flight Facility was established in 1945 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and is one of the oldest launch sites in the world. This facility was built to conduct aeronautical research using rocket-propelled vehicles. Its first rocket, the Tiamat, was launched on 4 July 1945. With the birth of NASA in 1958, Wallops contributed to the development of components of space flight programs, capsule escape, and recovery techniques. In 1981, Wallops was consolidated with the Goddard Space Flight Center and is now NASA's primary facility for suborbital programs."
that's cool!
ReplyDeleteI have heard it is neat to be at Chincoteague when a rocket goes up, we have never timed our visits to the right time. Great post. Enjoy your day and happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've long wanted to visit Wallops Island for a rocket launch! So far the closest I've got is watching a launch from the roof of an office building in the suburbs of D.C., thanks to a friend who works for the phone company. That was still pretty cool, we watched the launch both live and via livestreaming online (so we would know when to expect the liftoff).
ReplyDeleteI didn't know NASA had other launch facilities. Very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteQuite a pleasant looking area. I'll have to look at my road atlas and see if it turns up there.
ReplyDeleteIt's between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, just below the Maryland state line. Two other islands lie between Wallops Island and the ocean.
DeleteVery interesting post. Thanks for the information!
ReplyDeleteI hope to see you at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/bennett-place-bit-of-history.html, and please join us each week for Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)!
Looks like a neat place to visit.
ReplyDelete